IS IT JUST ME??

Or is she just not a baby anymore? She has grown up so much lately....it makes me sad. Yesterday she said "How long will it be until I'm big?", I said "I hope never, but why?", she said "It's a hard job being a little sister. I have to follow my big sisters all the time, and they go SO FAR!!!!".... My sweet little Poopsie-Loo, I hope you never, ever, get big!!

A KING CHARLES VISITOR

Look who is spending a few days with us!! My boys have their brother, Peso, over for a while! Peso is the one in the middle, Bailey is on the right and Brody on the left. Peso has a new baby sister at home (the pictures of Layla that I put up a week or so ago), and their family is very busy right now! So he is having a little doggie vaca here at the O'Steen house! They have all gotten along so wonderfully, I can't even believe it! I was prepared for some dominance issues, but they have just been a dream! It's like he is not even here. Kirsten has really taken to Peso, and he is sleeping in her room with her (not even our boys get to do that!). For anyone considering a dog, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is the way to go! They are the best dogs on the planet. Period.

BRAND NEW TWINS

This precious set of boy/girl twins also has that awesome birthdate of 7-8-09!! They were so much fun to play with - makes me want more babies!! :) They were so teeny - tiny, only about four or five pounds each. I love this last picture where it looks like she is eating his head!

REBEL WITH A CAUSE DRUM LINE

This is my hubs - also known as "Mr Timeless and Treasured", doing a very cool drum line on Father's Day 2009 at our church.

THE RIVER

Last weekened we made our annual trip to the Snyder's cabin on the river with lots of great friends. The kids had a great time swimming in the river - Miss Emily has absolutely NO FEAR!! We avoided the River Monsters - (really not a good idea to watch that show the night before you head to the river). The kids had a great time tubing behind the ski boat, paddling in the canoe, and jumping off the water trampoline. "Captain Joanne" navigated us all very well while rescuing some stranded pontoon boaters (have you ever seen a pontoon boat towing a pontoon boat?), while "Captain Rob" saved the day with a minor potty emergency in the middle of the lake!! And then we all enjoyed a grilled dinner on the deck! Thanks for a great day at the cabin Snyder Family!!

This picture cracks me up - Kirsten looks like she is standing on the water!

My sweet Hannah

Miss Anna Mae!

Captains Rob and Joanne!

Mr Rich using his shoes to paddle along! :)

Daddy, Kirsten and Karlie

Stephanie, Emily and Madison out for a ride in the canoe!

An interesting way to help Emily up out of the water Daddy!!??

I HEART FACES - FEET WEEK

This week at one of my favorite photography learning resource blogs, the challenge for the week is "feet". Since I just took this picture this week and fell in love with it, I thought I would enter this week's challenge!!

SWEET BABY LAYLA

Meet sweet baby Layla. She is eight days old, and joins two big brothers. She sure didn't want to have any pictures taken, at least any with her eyes closed, but we did manage to sneak in a few here and there! I had a great time with you tonight Karina - Layla is absolutely precious and I'm so excited you have a girl!! Now start teaching her to speak eighteen languages - okay???

Doesn't she have the most awesome birthdate ever?

HAPPY 14TH BIRTHDAY KIRSTEN!

Today, we enter the second year of "teenage-hood"!! This morning, at about 7:30, Richard woke me up saying, "Do you remember what we were doing exactly 14 years ago at this time? We were FREAKING out!". It was those first few hours of her life that I remember all too well. She was whisked away from us soon after her delivery, and the news came to us that she had been placed in the NICU. It ended up being nothing serious, she just needed a little bit of oxygen and then she was fine. I should have known then that this little baby girl would forever keep us on our toes!!

Happy Birthday Kirsten - you are a priceless gift. We treasure every day that we have with you. You make us proud every day. Keep following Christ with all your heart, and He will guide you. Thank you for being such a fun and adventurous daughter - for trying so hard to be a good big sister - for being a really fun friend - and for ALWAYS keeping us on our toes!! We love you to the moon and back a million times!!

I LAH LOO!!!

Love, Mom and Dad

MY FAVORITE LITTLE GUY IS FOUR MONTHS OLD!

KIRSTEN IN THE ARENA

I rarely get the chance to blog any pictures of Kirsten. All my girls have PKS (photographer's kid syndrome), but Kirsten most of all. However, when she is on a horse, she is in a different world, and I can snap away!! Actually, these pictures are all courtesy of "MR. Timeless and Treasured" - didn't he do a great job??

Look what Dad caught!! He snapped just as she fell. Part of learning to ride well is learning to fall well. She was fine, just a little bruise to her ego.

I just sent Kirsten off on a missions trip to the mountains of Tennessee. I'm praying that her life be changed this week, that she moves outside of her typical-teenage-self-centered world, as she discovers the unspeakable joy of becoming the hands and feet of Jesus. I pray that God will gently take her apart piece by piece and put her back together again in His perfect way. I wish I could have gone with all my small group girls as they experience God in a fresh way, but it's good for them to fly alone too! They are with a great group this week, keep them all in your prayers!